


Courting Procedures

by NeverNothing



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, I swear he tries, Kuroo Tetsurou is a sweet boy, M/M, biology facts, roundabout awkward flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 15:03:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16065617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverNothing/pseuds/NeverNothing
Summary: To be completely honest, Kenma should have noticed something weird was going on the moment Kuroo decided to change his ring tone to a personalized one.Aka Kuroo reads a textbook on animal reproduction behavior and Kenma suffers.





	Courting Procedures

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, the idea for this was "You can't expect me to take a course in behavioral biology and not write a fanfiction about it." And yep, that sum's it up pretty well.

1) Attracting a potential mate

_Before the courting process can be initiated, the male has to locate, identify and attract a potential mate. If the mating location is not specified or otherwise determined, this can be achieved with visual, olfactory or auditory signals._

To be completely honest, Kenma should have noticed something weird was going on the moment Kuroo decided to change his ring tone to a personalized one.

The teenagers were lazing around Kenma’s room. Kuroo’s last year in high school had just begun. The setter was engrossed in his current video game, knees pulled up in anticipation and completely ignoring his companion. He did not mind it one bit, however. For quite some time he himself was absorbed in some book, idly rolling around on Kenma’s bed, groaning once his lying position got awkward. It was the usual picture of a slow early evening, after practice and homework.

At some point, Kuroo put his book down and blindly reached for the nearest phone. It was Kenma’s. Unbothered, he unlocked it, ignoring any chat notifications and going straight for YouTube.

He was fiddling around different video’s and soon, Kenma heard birds chirping. The noise was not fitting the serious and lethargic mood of the game he had been absorbed in. Confused, he looked up. Eyes going directly to the guy sprawled behind him, who had started cackling to himself. Kuroo looked up. The two of them made eye contact and Kenma witnessed the exact moment Kuroo made up his mind to some most likely pretty stupid plan, mouth curving into a conspiratorial grin.

Kenma snorted and turned back to his game. Behind him, different bird sounds continued to fill in  the background but Kenma ignored it. Kuroo was an idiot.

 

He first noticed something different when Kuroo texted him early the next morning, the notification accompanied by a sequence clear whistles that reminded him of spring and distantly sounded like a high chuckle. Bird sounds again. He checked the message with a frown. The message he got from Shouyou late yesterday evening did not have the same sound. Kuroo must have played around with the settings of his phone again. Kenma decided he was not awake enough to deal with this yet.

Sighing, the setter buried his phone in his pocket, got ready, grabbed his backpack and met up with Kuroo, who was waiting relaxedly by his house’s front porch. Hearing the sound of a door, Kuroo looked up and greeted his friend with a sly grin.

“Morning, Kenma.” He addressed the dyed blond with his characteristic drawl and fell into step beside him the moment Kenma stepped on the sidewalk. He did not mention the alterations to his phone so neither did the setter.

Practice and school proceeded as usual for the next few days. The pair went home together, sat down in Kenma’s room do to their homework with Kuroo helping out whenever needed- everything went as usual. They spent some time together afterwards, maybe watching a movie Kuroo had really been looking forward to seeing. Kuroo left some time later in the evening, after turning down the offer for a late dinner. Everything was the same, except for the high chime of Kenma’s phone whenever he received a message from his childhood friend.

_ >Gettin ready for bed? (received at 11:16pm) _

Again, the text was announced by the steady rhythm of birds chirping. Except for the noise, everything was how he knew it. Kuroo sent that text every night, the same way he wished him a good morning via text first thing after waking up himself.

Staring down at his phone, the cheery sound still rang in his ears long after it had stopped playing.

_ >No. (sent at 11:28pm) _

_+What bird is it? (sent at 11:28pm)_

Biting his lip in worry, Kenma felt strangely uncomfortable. Before he could regret asking, the whistles chimed again. He checked his messages with barely any hesitation, curiosity winning over whatever uneasiness had been dominating him before.

_ >You should rly go to bed soon!!! You’ll just complain abt bein tired tmr!1 (received at 11:30pm) _

_+It’s a Robin- a redbreast to be exact (received at 11:31pm)_

_+sleep!! (received at 11:33pm)_

Kenma paused with his phone in hand. He had not expected Kuroo to be able to answer the question, thinking it was just another mood of his. He did not put actual thought in this, did he?

_Robins tend to be among the earliest birds to start the dawn chorus and one of the last to stop in the evening. Their spring song is powerful, confident and upbeat. Its purpose is as following: to attract a mate._

 

2) Courting

_After successfully drawing the attention of a potential mate, the real courting process begins. Courting can express itself in various ways, all of them functioning to either directly or indirectly enhance a mate’s fitness._

 

a) Nuptial gifts

_Gifts of nutritional value (i.e. prey, body parts or spermatophores) directly increase a mate’s fertility and fecundity. A healthy mate has more resources to invest into reproducing._

Kuroo has always been weirdly obsessed with making sure Kenma was eating alright. The setter was not sure when exactly it started- it had been going on since he can remember, but these days it was even worse.

Stopping by his homeroom and kidnapping him for lunch was one thing, being the one to take care of his Bento was another. He even coordinated it with Kenma’s mother, given how he conveniently packed lunch for him the days his mother was “too busy” to make some that morning.

Kenma was suspicious but did not complain about it. Kuroo was a surprisingly good cook. Years of cooking for himself and the rest of his family certainly had paid off.  He always made sure to add some of his favorites while also “maintaining a healthy nutritional balance”- or so he never got tired of telling the other when they were sitting with their team to eat. He was a nerd, even if other people tended not to believe Kenma stating it.

“It’s for your own good, Kenma! You should watch what you eat at least a bit. We need you to be healthy!” Kuroo declared with too much enthusiasm during a team lunch.

Kenma picked at the vegetables in his meal. He usually did not mind them much but something about the tone of the raven’s voice made him want to be defiant.

“What I’m eating is just fine.” He replied with a deadpan.

Kuroo gasped, clutching his cardigan in mock hurt. The team ignored them. This was nothing special.

The setter glanced at his childhood friend and, just to spite him, shoveled some of his broccoli in Kuroo’s Bento, stealing some of his sausages in return.

“It’s not.” Kuroo frowned at him disappointedly.

“It is.”

“It’s not.”

“It is.”

The volleyball captain stared at him for a beat and then, instead of answering, Kuroo gathered a bunch of broccoli as well as some omelet with his chopsticks and nudged them against Kenma’s lips. Sullenly, he accepted the proffered bite and chewed carefully. Kuroo’s mouth widened into a grin, proud of his silent victory.

Why was Kuroo that good at cooking anyway? It was kind of unfair.

The teammates around them still ignored their banter.

 

b) Territorial quality

_Along with nuptial gifts, the quality of a male’s territory greatly influences a mate’s choice. An abundance of resources and a male’s ability to protect the territory lead to a direct improve of the mate’s chances of survival- and their offspring’s as well. Some species prefer familiar territories and stay close to family grounds if opportunities arise. This phenomenon is called “philopatry”._

_“_ Hey Kenma, my grandma has been bugging me about asking you to come over for dinner again some time soon. She misses you apparently.” Kuroo pulled a miffed face that was completely exaggerated.

Both of them were laying on Kenma’s bed after a long practice, legs tangled in a way neither of them acknowledged when Kuroo mentioned the invitation. It was no secret that Kuroo’s grandmother totally adored Kenma- and made sure to show it every chance she got.

It was like a running joke in their family. Kuroo’s grandfather often even proclaimed that he had learned how to operate his smartphone just to be able to check in on Kenma- and Kuroo had never really minded. Heck, he did the same, how he liked to point out frequently.

Thinking about it, it had been a while since Kenma visited Kuroo’s home. Their routine usually involved stopping by the setter’s home after school to hang out as they did now. Kuroo even had a change of clothes ready in a drawer of Kenma’s bedroom, so they didn’t even need to drop by the other’s house.

There was a time until his late middle school days when Kenma stayed over for dinner at their house every Tuesday of the week. Kuroo’s father had the same habit of cooking Kenma’s favorites whenever he was over that Kuroo seemed to indulge in nowadays. Dinner’s had been fun.

The Kuroo household had always cared for him. For the rare occasions, his parents went away on a business trip, they gladly took in him. Any family activity they planned they insisted Kenma took part in, too, Kuroo being the most enthusiastic. They called it obvious to invite him, considering the time Kuroo spent in his home. He could not remember what happened of their weekly dinners. Why did they stop again? Was it the new job of Kuroo’s father? His grandparents being sent to a caring facility?

And even before that, Kenma had spent a surprising amount of time at Kuroo’s house. He remembered pillow forts on days it was too cold to play outside. The smell of Kuroo’s grandmother baking a freshly made apple pie- just because she knew it was Kenma’s favourite and felt like treating him. The noise of a kid’s show running in the background to Kuroo’s and Kenma’s own childish giggles. He remembered fantasy worlds he and Kuroo made up during that times, their adventures, the comfort, and smiled.

It would be no exaggeration to call that place his second home. Suddenly, he realized he had missed it.

“I’ll come by soon.”

Later that same evening, Kuroo sent him a short video. It showed a fish of a breed Kenma did not recognize. Small with silvery-green scales, though, considering the bluish tint of the water, he could not be sure of its actual colors.

It was swimming around a mussel, coming closer to it before flittering away again- inspecting it? A second fish entered the screen, of the same breed but with a red hue coloring its abdomen. The video ended. Kenma blinked at his display.

_ >? (sent at 10:46pm) _

Kuroo did not answer.

 

c) Awareness

_A male that shows signs of awareness of his surroundings offers security and safety against predators._

Practice that day had been particularly draining on his social meter. Having to deal with an overexcited Lev and being stared at by other first years with hearts in their eyes was a little bit too much too handle for such a prolonged time when there was only little distraction. His team, thankfully, understood that.

That was the reason Kenma was mostly left alone even after he finished changing, opting to wait outside, game in hand. Leaving teammates said their goodbyes but did not try for small talk and did not even expect Kenma to answer them. Secretly, the setter thanked for their consideration.

It was only due to familiarity that Kenma recognized the sound of Kuroo exiting the locker room. He did not even look up from his game as he joined his childhood friend on his way out of school. Noticing his mood, Kuroo stayed silent and simply guided him on their way home.

Hitting the buttons for a difficult combo, Kenma was barely paying any attention to where he was going. The final boss he was currently facing gave him more trouble than he’d like to admit. Having had to restart that particular fight for the fifth time already, he was determined to beat it. Dodging another ruthless attack, Kenma suddenly found himself being pulled to the side. A car drove by with a loud honk.

The disruption caused a silent tune that announced “game over” mockingly and the setter looked up from his game.

“You should be a little more aware of your surroundings, Kenma.” Kuroo scolded him playfully, his hand leaving his waist with a barely noticeable delay, their hips bumping.

Kenma stumbled a few steps to the side again, frowning at Kuroo in disapproval. The raven just laughed good-heartedly and Kenma’s faced softened. He looked back to his handheld and mumbled something under his breath.

“What? Sorry, I didn’t quite catch what you said.”

Kuroo bent down closer to him to make sure he would hear him. Kenma glanced up shortly, blushing lightly before looking away again.

“It’s not like I need to as long as you’re here.”

 

d) Defense

_Mates profit from males able to protect them from other males’ advances. On top on not carrying the costs of sexual molestation and securing the mate’s bodily safety, defending the mate also enhances the opportunities for intake of resources._

Hearing rival team’s exchange comments behind his back was nothing new for Kenma. It was always the same “ _He_ is their setter? What a joke!” or something along those lines. The blond would cower at judgement like that if it would not have been for Kuroo.

Kuroo was never really intimidating- in Kenma’s mind at least- but he came pretty close to it when he overheard other teams belittling him. It scared the first years shitless when they saw it for the first time.

They were barely able to look at him during the whole match, sinister grin never leaving their captain’s face. They understood now though. No one uttered only single degrading word about their setter when he was around. It had developed into their team mentality.

Kenma would never admit it out loud, but the knowledge filled him with vindictiveness. Made him feel a confidence he was not used to.

That, however, was not the only thing Kuroo did. Shielding him with his body during peak hours on the train, walking on the side closer to car traffic when they were walking beside each other, preparing his lunch, making sure he did not overexert himself. Kenma’s frequent fevers during middle school left quite a big impact on him, Kenma assumed. Kuroo simply tended to worry a lot.

Especially after Kenma mentioned getting molested on the train during his last year of middle school. Kenma made sure his voice stayed deadpan, like it was no big deal at all when he brought it up. Which was a lie if he ever told one. He remembered how he could not stop shaking afterwards, just wanting to go home but at the same time fearing taking the train back.

Kuroo was furious when he heard, even more when Kenma tried to gloss it over. Threatening a violent death to whoever dared to touch him. Kenma did not tell him at that time, but he was relieved. Kuroo always managed to voice the feelings Kenma knew were appropriate but was not able to express himself. It made him feel better about the whole situation even if he was still disgusted and felt deeply violated.

So when Kenma finally entered high school and started traversing his way with Kuroo again, he made sure to stand by Kenma’s side, shielding him against the crowd during rush hours.

It involved a lot of posturing and glaring at anyone suspicious on Kuroo’s side but as he was six feet tall and noticeable muscular, it helped deterring strangers from even coming close to the blond.

Mostly, Kenma appreciated it. Being with Kuroo when they were close to almost being squeezed to death in a train filled until there was no space left meant no one would touch Kenma inappropriately- if on accident or on purpose- and he would not have to deal with the pure amount of _people_ that were present.

Like Kuroo was the wall that separated Kenma from the rest, supporting Kenma to maintain his personal space. He could deal with it if he had to, but not having to was nice. It was no big deal.

Sometimes, however, Kuroo protects Kenma in an entirely different, slightly twisted kind of way and Kenma was not sure which one he preferred.

“Kenma-san, toss to me!”Lev’s voice boomed across the whole gym and despite being fairly far away, he could not suppress a flinch.

“No.” He answered curtly to the bouncing first-year in front of him. He had just run over. Kenma heard Yaku’s yells to not just leave the receiving drill behind and an unpleasant notion overcame him.

“But Kenma-san!” Lev was pouting and suddenly he felt incredibly annoyed. “You promised!”

“I never did.”

“Kenma-san!”

“Lev, I’m tired. Ask Shibayama or do some more drills.”

Lev was making sounds that could distantly be described as whining. He would not leave it. Unexplainably, the setter’s annoyance sky-rocketed.

Glaring up from behind the fringe of his dyed hair, Kenma felt the last string snap when Lev dared to _fling himself_ to his side. He would end-

“Yo, Kenma! Look at this.” Kuroo snorted as he squeezed himself between the setter and Lev to show him the video, effectively blocking the first year out. Kenma looked at the phone shoved to his face, even it it was a little bit too close for comfort.

The animals in it where massive. Seizing each other up before storming to each other to clash heads. All the while Kuroo was cackling maniacally. “Kuro, what the hell are those?” Kenma inquired a little bit disturbed.

The volleyball captain clicked his tongue. “Elephant seals, Kenma, can’t you see?” Kenma look at the seals. They must weigh tons. Their noses distinctly looked like an elephant trunk so that had to be the reason for their name.

”Their noses! They hit each other with their noses!” Kuroo gaggled, pointing to his phone with his free hand, gasping for air.

They actually did not and were hitting each other with their teeth instead, but Kenma saw no reason to correct him.

Not that he would have the chance to. Kuroo was laughing so much he slumped against Kenma. The setter pulled a face, not exactly enjoying the stickiness of their sweat-soaked skin but ultimately decided he did not mind. Kuroo fell in another bout of laughter as the animals fell into the sea together.

He obviously was not deterred by the amount of blood streaming along the bodies. “Pfft, those noses have their own will! They wobble, Kenma. Gosh, I gotta send this one to Bokuto!”

The setter patted his childhood’s friend back half-heartedly. On a satisfying note, he caught Lev being wrestled back into receiving practice again by the hand of a dedicated Yaku. By the time Kuroo managed to recover, the two of them were left alone in the corner of the gym.

Kenma chuckled darkly. He was sure more than defending him Kuro just made sure Lev would live for a little while longer.

 

e) Paternal quality

_Males vary in how much they contribute to the rearing of their offspring. This investment can take form of guarding the nest, providing oxygenated water (e.g. by fish) or feeding their offspring, i.e. showing classic aspects of parental care. Thus sharing the cost of rearing, mates prefer males with features that indicate these._

The next morning, Kenma woke up to the chime of his phone. The robin’s chirp woke him as he still had not changed it back, telling him it was a message from his childhood friend.

He suspected Kuroo was sending him another animal video. He did that a lot, these days, and Kenma was not convinced he knew what the raven intended with them. Sure, some of them were funny but mostly Kenma felt like he was missing something obvious. He did not like it.

And certain enough, when he checked the message, a picture of a deep-blue bird stared back at him. The bird appeared to be big enough to sit comfortably on the back of a stranger’s hand. Kenma had never seen it before. He checked if Kuroo sent more but all he got was the cerulean colour shining back at him.

Focusing on the picture again, Kenma could not make sense of it and decided to get ready for the day instead.

It did not take long for Kenma to completely forget about that message- or rather to drive it out of his mind. Practice went on as usual. He only felt like strangling Lev twice in just little more days- which was a win. The team still had lunch together. Kuroo and him still hung out after practice.

Everything was the way he was all too familiar with. Kuroo and Kenma were on their way home. They had already exited the station when they heard it.

Something like a wail, feeble and miserable- easy to overhear or ignore. The high school students did neither of that, however, instead opting to search for the source after a quick exchange of questioning looks. Well, at least Kuroo did. Kenma did not mind waiting for him, smartphone in hand and prepared for the worst.

Fortunately, it turned out Kenma did not need his phone as Kuroo exited the alley beside the grocery store, cradling a small buddle in his arms.

“Someone must have abandoned it. Found her in a carton.” A worried expression marred his face as Kuroo showed him what he found. A tabby kitten stared blearily back at Kenma, barely able to keep her eyes open. A gasp left him involuntarily. Despite it being late spring, the nights were still cold, so the kitten must’ve been freezing before she had gotten wrapped up in Kuroo’s school blazer.

The jacket was probably ruined. But as the duo looked up the way to the closest shelter that was still open, Kuroo did not seem to complain. The kitten fell asleep shortly after they left the alley and despite not needing to, Kuroo did not stop mumbling calming phrases to the package he held tightly to his chest.

Left unspoken, something warm blossomed in Kenma and it spread.

 

f) Proving Compatibility

_The survival of future offspring is not only dependent on the male’s qualities, but also on the genetical and behavioral fit of the pair. Compatibility can thus provide indirect as well as direct advantages like an enhancement in parental quality due to synergy._

The sound of sneakers squeaking and the smell of sweat filled the gym, intermingled with energetic yells and the echo of balls hitting the ground. Practice was going on in full swing and had been for a while now. Kenma’s arms were feeling tired already as he lifted them again in preparation of another set up. He forgot how many he had tossed over the past hour and part of him wanted to go home already.

The moment the ball left the tips of his fingers, Kenma could tell the timing was slightly off. Kuroo managed to spike it to the other side of the net, but he was scrambling for it and his form anything but graceful the way it usually was.

“One more.” The captain was bracing himself, chest heaving in exertion. He was not satisfied with the way they were yet.

“Kuro, I’m tired.” Kenma whined. They had been trying to perfect their newest quick since the beginning of individual practice and his arms were starting to kill him.

“Last one, I swear. We’re so close! Please?”

Kuroo was not someone who begged Kenma to continue, usually. Now, though, he was staring directly at him, a determined look on his sweat-covered face. Kenma could not bring himself to deny him. Kuroo looked at him the way he did that fateful day when they were kids. He felt they were close to figuring it out as well. Too close to stop now.

Getting back in their original position, Kenma concentrated on the task ahead. The formation they were trying was awkward to pinpoint and his arms felt sluggish. Nonetheless, he moved his body when the ball entered his periphery.

This time, the ball flew with a sharp curve right where it was supposed to be. And Kuroo was there. Hitting a powerful spike that echoed through the gym and landed just inside the court as a tight straight. The sound roused their teammates attention, but Kuroo and Kenma were caught in a standstill, eyes locking and breathless. They both had felt it.

“That one was perfect!”

Like an all-kill combo on expert mode. Adrenalin filled his body. Combinations and possibilities of using this move in a match filled Kenma’s head immediately. The exhaustion left his body while the exhilaration of a flawlessly executed quick filled him. A grin spread across his face. It was perfect, indeed.

 

g) Display “good genes”

_The display of “good genes” is an indirect advantage to the mate, improving survival probability of future offspring. The qualities of a male are often indicated by so-called ornaments, honest signals of a male’s fitness and are closely connected to competition between rivals. Attractiveness with no genetic consequence for the offspring’s fitness might also function as an aspect that influences a mate’s choice. The products of such couplings are called “sexy sons”._

Kenma was not sure whether it had to do with some stupid thing Kuroo and Bokuto came up with during the Summer camp, but for some reason Kuroo developed an unprecedented dislike for wearing a shirt for the rest of the summer.

Whether it was him taking ages to put on a shirt after practice- only buttoning up his shirt shortly before they left the locker room- or him not wearing a shirt at all whenever they were in the security of their homes. Kenma would love to say he did not care, but truth was it was _distracting_.

Kuroo was fit, Kenma knew that. He saw him change often enough in the period of their friendship. They even used to take baths together. He knew the volleyball captain was attractive. Really, he had to be blind not to be able to tell. Broad shoulders, a lean back and a desirable six pack. It was undeniable.

It was different nowadays, however. Kuroo’s lack of clothing made Kenma absurdly aware of the amount of time they spent touching each other.

Skin sticking to each other when Kuroo was leaning against him during their study sessions, Kenma felt every shift of muscle against his side. His homework was never harder to complete.

Even after they finished their school work, Kuroo still did not move away.  Rather, he scooted in even closer, draping himself over Kenma’s back and resting his head on his shoulders. This in itself was nothing unusual, too. Kuroo liked watching him play and Kenma liked to have something to recline on. Him leaning against Kuroo was the only reasonable consequence. He was comfy.

Well, for the most part. Now Kenma had to deal with the heat of Kuroo’s naked body against his flimsy shirt, his arms wrapped loosely around him. He could feel his childhood friend’s chest move against his back with every breath, sturdy and secure. Chin resting on his shoulders, head turned slightly towards him and close to his neck, Kenma felt warm puffs of air that sent shivers through his body. This was just unfair.

When Kenma got so distracted he lost to the boss he was facing for the fourth time, he shoved Kuroo away- under the pretense of being too hot. Kuroo just laughed it off and sprawled beside him. Seeing the muscles work, sweat glistening, flexing, as the raven supported himself on his elbows did not make it easier for him to concentrate on the game at all though.

Kenma surrendered himself to getting completely and embarrassedly butchered during the next battle. And that was exactly what happened.

Not only did Kuroo not wear shirts, maybe a week after their yearly training camp, he also started sending him audios. Kenma was taken aback the first time he listened to it. Expecting to hear Kuroo’s voice asking him how he was doing because he was too lazy to type again, he paused when instead he just heard a deep croak, repeating itself in a slightly irregular rhythm.

_ >What’s that? (sent at 11:18am) _

_ > A frog, duh. Want another one? (received at 11:19am) _

_ >No. (sent at 11:19am) _

Kuroo sent more anyway.

About a week later Kuroo had already sent him about seven different audios of croaking. He declared them to be of different species, but it is not like Kenma was able to distinguish them anyway. The frequency and loudness of the sound varied but it did not mean much to the setter. It was noisy.

The song of the robin announced another of Kuroo’s messages. Seeing the familiar icon, Kenma sighed and pressed play, expecting another croak. Did Kuroo not get tired of this?

He was surprised once again, when he did not hear the deep throaty sound of a toad. Instead an eerie sound filled his room. Deep and reverberating, it reminded Kenma of a dying horn being blown in the distance. Or maybe it sounded more like creaking tiles of a long-abandoned house. The blond shivered and his phone vibrated.

_ >Moose. (received at 10:02pm) _

_ >I wouldn’t want to meet that @night (sent at 10:05pm) _

_ >Yeah, those things are huge!” (received at 10:05pm) _

_+Yuore too small for that theyd trample right over u (received at 10:06pm)_

Kenma frowned at his phone and ignored him.

A few days later everything finally clicked as the next picture from Kuroo arrived.. Kenma stared at his phone, speechless and blushing. A _p_ e _acock._ Kuroo had just sent him the image of a peacock with colorful feathers and a long tail. _Everyone_ knew of the reason for those striking features. He could not believe his eyes.

 

3) Mate Choice

_According to the Bateman’s principle male’s reproductive success is limited by the mate’s choice. Mates and their behaviour can be distinguished in two ways. Either mate choice can be carried out passively- the mate accepts a male’s advances- or actively- the mate seeks out a male that passes their individual requirements._

It took a little research to verify, but once the idea was sparked, the direction was clear. Staring at his phone, Kenma snorted. “Of course, he’d do it like that.” He tapped his phone against his chin, thinking about how to proceed. “You’re such an idiot.”

‘Precopulational behavior’ the internet had called it. Kuroo’s behavior the last few months made a lot more sense, suddenly. He had been _courting for his affection_ even though he did so in a confusingly twisted way. Some of it might even not have been intentional. Kenma had to concede that the raven had been dedicated with his advances. Alone in his room Kenma did not bother trying to smother the smile on his face.

“Really, what am I gonna do with you?” His voice was impossibly soft. He was glad no one was there to hear.

He figured someone in their relationship had to address the issue. Considering the generous amount of quite clear evidence, Kenma did not mind taking up that part. Maybe he’d show him in a way generally more understood by fellow humans, though.

Confronting Kuroo about his ‘advances’, however, was not as easy as said. Kenma thought long about it, never allowing the doubt to creep in. In the end, it came quite naturally, as it always did with them.

Once again, they were lazing around Kenma's room, sitting beside each other on the ground as Kenma played his newest game. Fiddling with his phone, Kuroo was leaning heavily against him but Kenma had long given up the fight. Instead he opted to concentrate on the game in front of him.

Soon enough, music started to ring from the raven's phone and his childhood friend forced the display into Kenma's field of vision. “Look at this!” The setter’s character died in the background.

By now, Kenma could tell it was another of Kuroo’s courting videos, so he just nodded with a quick twitch of his mouth. What he saw was not much of a surprise, even though Kenma had to admit Kuroo was getting more and more obvious.

The start of the video showed an undergrowth, reddish brown of the dirt not giving away much. A few moments in, however, a black object wiggled his way into the frame. Peering closer, Kenma identified it as a bird. _Of course it is_. Black plumage with a yellow-greenish shimmering and triangle breast plate as well as silver feathers just above its eyes, adorning its crown. The feature that caught Kenma’s gaze next were black wires- a pair of three’s behind each eye.

The wires were bobbing wildly along the movements of its head, nodding. The bird was scuttling around, plumes of its body spread out widely like a skirt. It looked ridiculous. Kenma snorted a laugh.

The blond chanced a glance at this childhood friend. Kuroo was looking at him, his face decidedly fond. Something in his chest warmed.

“What’s that?” He asked simply.

“Just some kind of paradise bird.”

Kenma hummed. “‘Just’, huh?” The setter scanned the raven’s face, this time not trying to hide the fact and even allowing the smile that threatened to break out on his face. “Anything else?”

He was straight up baiting Kuroo now and Kuroo sensed it. Kenma watched him fumble for words and decided he enjoyed it.

It did not take long for him to take pity on his childhood friend, though. _Time to be forward about it_ , Kenma thought as he slid on the raven’s lap, hands resting on his shoulder. Kuroo reacted instinctively to his touch, reciprocating the hold. Kenma bent closer, lowering his voice to a breathy whisper.

“I never thought you would go to such extents just to confess you want to have sex with me. That’s desperate, Kuro.”

Kuroo gasped in pure shock, hands still settled comfortably on the setter’s waist, his grip tightening. If Kenma was not mistaking, he could even make out a slight blush on his face. “Sex? That’s not what this is about! Haven’t you heard of monogamous partnerships, Kenma?”

“None of the animals you showed me videos or pictures _or_ sent me audios off were monogamous. I checked, Kuro.” Kenma argued back with a deadpan, leaning back a little.

The raven, however, pulled him closer again quickly. “Well! I was trying to get a point across!”

Once again, Kenma snorted, amused. “Ah, really?” He asked loftily, playing with the short hairs by Kuroo’s nape. The look on his face told Kuroo he was going to be cheeky about this. “And your point was?”

Kuroo contemplated the look on Kenma’s face and took the bait with a grin. “Date me.”

Fingers on Kuroo’s neck were sending a shiver down his spine. Kenma took it in with satisfaction, face changed almost noticeably to betray his emotion. Kuroo noticed it, getting distracted and staring at him. He was so obvious. Kenma’s voice snapped him out of the trance he was beginning to enter. He was pulling Kuroo closer, gaze never leaving and silently challenging him. “Show me.”

And Kuroo did. Bridging the short distance between them, their lips met in a hesitant touch. Eyes falling closed at the contact. Kuroo’s lips were soft, maybe a bit chapped. Kenma would have to make him use chapstick later on, he noted absentmindedly. He sighed into the kiss, easy pressure of their lips almost relaxing if not for the rapid beating of his heart. Despite their earlier banter, it was chaste, innocent and sweet.

Reluctantly, he pulled away after. Kuroo’s eyes opened lazily, intent gaze not straying from Kenma. They always communicated best without words and once again, it told him everything he needed to know. Seeing the pure adoration on the raven’s face, it was almost overwhelming. But this was Kuro’s lap he was sitting on, Kuro’s hands the warm presence on his back and he knew being with him would always be alright.

When they leaned in a second time, they were less hesitant and more eager to figure each other out. Finding the right angle to kiss comfortably, Kuroo’s hands were wandering up his back. Kenma’s fingers were cradling his face, trying to guide them but neither of them tried to deepen the kiss just yet. It was still a little bit awkward, with their noses bumping, but at the same time utterly perfect, feelings threatening to overflow. They would learn how to do it properly.

Parting once again, he stayed close this time, foreheads still touching and  breaths mingling. A smile spread on Kenma’s face. “That sure took you a long time, Kuro.”

“I guess that is a yes then?”

“Of course it is.”

The elation that had been bubbling underneath his skin soared. Nothing was stopping Kuroo from ducking in a third time.

_The mate’s choice- and copulation as a prevalent consequence-thereby concludes the courting procedures._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> As always, any criticsm would be greatly appreciated- don't be afraid to point out typos. English is not my first language so some parts might have been a little bit awkward.
> 
> Here's a list of the animals I referred to without name for anyone interested:  
> 2b) The fishes: _Rhodeus amarus_ \- a male picks out a mussel for reproduction and the female decides on a mate based on the quality of their chosen territory  
> 2e) the blue bird: _Guiraca caerulea_ \- the more vibrant the plumage, the more the males tend invest into feeding their offspring  
> 3) Arfak parotia ( _Parotia sefilata)_ \- look up a video of it dancing, it's amazing!
> 
> | [@Twitter](https://twitter.com/nevernothingx3)


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